The U.S. military said on Friday it had deployed a very small number of forces to Yemen to offer intelligence support for the United Arab Emirate's so far successful push on the ground against al Qaeda's most dangerous affiliate.
Around 2,000 Yemeni and Emirati troops advanced into the seaport of Mukalla late last month, taking control of its port and airport and meeting little resistance in what had been a stronghold of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
Interesting. I assumed we could handle our limited intervention from ships at sea or forces stationed in Djibouti.
It may not be the model theater anymore. But it is a theater in the war on terror still.
And given the factions and location, it will be a theater for fighting or simmering tensions long after jihadis are defeated there.
